Theos-Talk Archives (November 1994 Message tl00075)

TO: ART P.

You wanted to contact "Quest" magazine.  The Theosophical Society
in Wheaton has a general e - mail adress

       theos@netcom.com

since the address is used by several people, I'd put on it Att:
Bill Metzger (he's the editor) or Att: Quest Magazine (say
"Magazine", because there are also Quest books, & that's in a
different building).  The Olcott library has 2 addresses of their
own, but I haven't been able to get through.  Dunno where the
mistake is, but for now, if you'd like to get in touch with them
please just use the above address.

TO: WILLIAM ALLEN

Re: your Einstein quote.  I always knew my "Landsmann" was a
genius!

I've got printouts sitting on my desk from way back 11-12, on
which I wanted to put in my 2cents worth.  I also listened to
John Algeo's tape on ethics.  I also telephone interviewed my Bob
about his opinion re transnational corporations which Jerry H-E
wanted to know.  I'm not going to get to all of it, before Lorna
comes to pick me up to go to an antique show but here's some of
it.

TO: JERRY S.

I worked for the State of NJ for 23 years.  I also "observed some
waste of taxpayer's money here & there, but nothing criminal
(mostly stupidity)." The most stupid things came down the pike
during Reganomics.  Like they decided they needed more statistics
about our activities, so it ended up that the activities became
80% writing up reports, and 20% trying to find jobs for people
who came into the office looking for them.  Another one, they
decided that everyone who was collecting Unemployment Insurance
had to register with us.  That included people on temporary
layoff, and others who were interested in collecting, and not in
the least in getting jobs.  So we spent a lot of our time
registering these people in groups, and looking at their slips
that said where they'd gone job hunting (faked, if the wanted to
fake it) rather than trying to help find another job for the ones
who were really looking.

I wasn't ever fired for blowing the whistle.  They couldn't, I
had tenure, but I worked under 1 manager who was never there &
let things pile up.  So 1 day I upset the whole apple cart by
telling a clerk to pull out all the job orders that were over 90
days old (and either filled, or not valid anymore at that stage)
It created a big mess, & after that, I was shunted to
insignificant jobs, until _I_ got a transfer.  I also got fired
once from anotherjob in my younger years for asking for a raise.

One thing I could do in my State job at times was to cut throught
the red tape someone was tangled in.  After a while Haitians came
to me, because I spoke French.  I helped them smooth over red
tape.  My girl friend did the same for the Spanish speakers.  For
a while I had to pass on all the JTPA applicants in my office.  I
remember one teen-ager who applied for training.  She was young
enough to require the OK signature of a parent or guardian.
Well, this kid had had the spunk to move out of her home in
another State because her mother was high all the time.  Where
the father was no one knew.  Even if she could find her mother,
the mother wasn't about to sign any OK's for her.  She was
staying with a friend, & when she brought in the friend's
singature, I just accepted it.  I felt perfectly justified in
bending the rules a little with her.  Wish I could tell you
whether she made it, but I never saw her again.  Anyway, I did
what I could.

Further on you say "If you keep your mouth shut & play the game".
A question occured to me.  When do you keep your mouth shut
because you need the money for yourself & your loved ones, and
when do you decide that enough is enough?

Re: Cognitive dissonance

I don't know whether liars & cheats always have a nervous
breakdown, if they "lie & cheat in business & then sit in church
& hear morality preached to them".

It creates some sort of unfavorable Karma which'll hit them in
one life or another.  I can see that someone can become a mental
cripple of (s)he lies & cheats all the time.

TO: AKI KORHONEN

I like your Victor Hugo story.

I've been taught to try to say or think something positive about
everyone.  I think if you're kind to a hardened criminal he's at
first not going to believe you, just the way the man in Victor
Hugo's story didn't.  You just don't think anyone is ever going
to be kind to you.  The bishop kept on being kind & the criminal
finally understood that here was one person who wasn't going to
beat up on him.

TO: JERRY H-E

You say "The values of capitalism are selfishness & greed".  but
it "has significantly raised our standard of living ...  It is
hard to turn against a system that has done so well."

It's done well in some ways, but not in others ...  like
pollution, & maiming people physically.  I notice a trend among
the larger corporations to be more mindful of the good of the
community.  A large local supermarket chain, which, just
incidentally, doesn't sell organic food, on the other hand gives
some of its employees a year's leave with pay, so that they can
be of community service.  I went to hear Haydn's "Creation" last
night.  The Syracuse Symphony needs financial support.  The
concert wasn't very well attended, even though the singers were
all super.  But, from the program I noted that local corporations
are contributing money to the Syracuse Symphony.  Incidentally,
the Syracuse Symphony is being imaginative.  In the Spring we're
taking my friend Carol's 2 grandsons to "Murder on The Downbeat".
We decided on that rather than a trial of the wolf from "Peter &
The Wolf".  I'm getting off my subject.  That book on
transnational corporations suggested that all kinds of community
groups get involved in putting the brakes on untoward practices,
like the masons or the lyons or the churches.  That sounds like a
good idea to me, because if you're a trouble maker who joins the
union, you get the same as the whistle blowers get.

That finishes comments on what you all wrote, & that's all I have
time for now.  On to the antique show.  I'll tell you about bob &
John Algeo this evening or tomorrow morning.

Liesel